Newfoundland and Labrador industry group techNL is looking for technology companies to participate in its High School Tech Immersion Program, which is a six-week, work-integrated learning course for Grade 10, 11 and 12 students.

This year’s Tech Immersion Program is a modified version of what techNL first offered last year. Participant feedback from the earlier iteration has led techNL to decrease the length of the program by three weeks, reduce the administrative workload for participating companies and add business-side training for students on topics like business development and customer success.

The program will run from July 18 to Aug. 26. Students will split their time between technology-related coursework, including basic programming training, and paid work experience. Last year, startups that hired students included Mysa Smart Thermostat, ClearRisk and PolyUnity, among others.

Companies must pay a fee to participate, which covers all of the program’s associated costs. The initiative is an example of the type of youth outreach that several startup support organizations have recommended as a partial cure for Atlantic Canadian startups’ labour woes.

“The program showed me that I don’t have to go out of the province to get a great job at a wonderful company,” a high schooler named Eric, who participated last year, told techNL.